Hi all,
Just wondering who actually adjusts to the road works speed limits when the signs are shown.
Also, I could go dig up the official rules, but does it matter if there are active road works happening? In some places at night, nothing is happening and there is no work in progress at all.
Ps. This isn't the local police.
Not true, in WA they definitely put them too early and reduce the speed limit way too much as well.
Don’t think I have ever seen that. It normally says do not over take.
I’ve seen it. Might be on dual lanes only?
Standard sign, ' no line markings, do not overtake unless safe'
Silly because it suggests you might overtake when unsafe if there were lines, but I think people know what it means, and its hard to think of a better wording that is short enough for a road sign.
is Do not overtake unless you are sure it is safe based on current visibility and not the absence of line markings'
@md333: I understand but it just makes me laugh seeing it.
It goes with the old "Accident appreciation Squad". You sort of expected them to hold up cards with scores out of 10.
There are plenty of roadworks areas that are justified, but also plenty where I think they save on work by putting the signs up early and leaving them late and doing the whole section that is going to be worked on over the next month rather than just what is being done today.
I had the opposite experience in Tasmania where they had a guy standing in the middle of the road with a shovel patching potholes, with no signage except on his vehicle a few metres past him.
Can't say I've ever seen this in Tas, they do the same thing that they do in WA in my experience.
Good to hear it wasn't a standard thing. Just saw it once on a recent trip.
Sometime reduced speed is not just for active works but for changed conditions or temporary hazards such a potholes, loose surface. Othertimes speeds are dropped just before, as workers can't setting up until traffic is slowed down.
Poll options suck :).
Yes, most people adjust their speed downwards by a token amount for roadworks, until they get a bit bored of that and start drifting the speed back up. I presume that's what people are answering "yes I adjust my speed" to! Otherwise, the majority are lying to themselves!
I've never seen anyone hit 40 km/h on the freeway until workers are actually seen.
what annoys me is that 90% of the time I pass slower speed limit/road works signs there is NOBODY working there - they've just left the signs there for the weekend or WTF as a lazy tax for the hundreds or thousands of passing motorists
so - in practice, I tend to observe the majority of traffic NOT slowing down - probably because they are locals who've been along this road recently and know there are no workers or fixed speed cameras on site
which makes it especially irritating if/when a now-mobile speed camera decides to hide and sting passing motorists maintaining closer to the regular highway speed limit as they can see no current road works affecting their driving safety.
on German autobahns if I saw roadworks signs, there would invariably be people actually working right there very close to the lane - and often the lanes would be narrowed so you'd have to slow or stop
not so in 'straya - they seem to leave the signs there for weeks with nobody there - and maybe work one day … sheesh
I remember going through a roadworks zone over a weekend in the ACT (when no one was working) and they had the numbers slide out of the signs - so it just had a red circle with 'road work'.
Such a brilliant idea - drive to the conditions of the roadwork zone, but stick to the existing speed limit on the road.
When they're about to start roadwork again, the lower speed limit numbers go in.
Should be rolled out around Australia!
I get annoyed when I have to drop down to 40-60km when there is literally nobody working on those sites.
But, I did have get insurance quotes and put in the details of someone who lost their license because she decided to continue going 100km on a freeway at 10pm, and there were roadwork signs to slow down to 60km.
So, once I had to do that, I decided I'm sticking to whatever speed sign I have in front of me.
It's a little annoying when it's an open site and there's clearly no one around, but there are a few spots some people are a little too narrow minded, like when going on the Westgate Bridge where plenty of the work can be underneath out of sight.
I obey the Road Works Speed Limits.
But what I hate is when they dont put back the normal speed limit sign back,
specially during night time when there's no active road work going on.
I am speed
In many cases due to regulations and paperwork it's easier to apply for a block speed reduction for a period of time (7 days) vs 7 x 8 hour restrictions. Due to approval timeframes etc.
This will be why you'll be driving at 40km/h through a deserted site.
Don't blame the traffic management company, blame the red tape and traffic management costs to mobilise/demobilise the signage, cones etc.
I blame the person who approves them - they should be the one enforcing the standards.
Of course the company paying for it is going to try to save costs and effort.
I like op provided a fifth option, a definite ozbargainer who understands the ozbargain community.
Please tell me you don't drive. You do not possess a license do you?
Ps. This isn't the local police.
This sounds like something the local police would say…
Yep. I failed my first driving test because I didn't follow a roadworks speed limit, now every time I see one I think about how my licence is more important than going fast.
But it's very irritating that my route to work just started a second roadwork zone next to the old one that hasn't been touched in a month.
In Adelaide we have perpetual road works happening all the time. It's just about impossible to drive a substantial distance in any direction without coming across road works. The amount of cones and other bits and pieces they use in my view is entirely overkill as well.
I slow down if there are people actually working or I can see cops around. If it's late at night and there's no one around I'll still slow down but not to the posted limit.
People are obviously giving false responses. Every time I slow down at road works, I end up with a bunch of annoyed people right behind me. I reckon 10% of motorists slow down to the posted limit.
Government could raise a heap of money by policing this. Traffic cops could easily pay for their keep in fines.
I generally follow speed limits but if someone is pissed off and tailgating because I follow those limits thn I may reduce the speed even more for fun
I work in road construction, and I would like for you not to kill or injury me or my colleagues.
The fact that you can't see anyone, it doesn't mean people are not working or the road is currently safe.
Besides, the speed is official and you can be fined. I particular love when coppers show up near road construction site to pick the people who are speeding.
I am a motorist and I would like for you to not leave lowered speed limit signs in place when you/your crew aren't working and the road is clearly safe to drive at the normal limit.
you can contact your state government and complain with them. since speed limits and zones are decided by specialist and not simple motorist who would like normal limit.
I do, but it seems all the (profanity) drive behind me, as they are always bloody tailgating me :/
I WFH - what are roadworks?
It kind of depends on the circumstances. I'll slow down to a safe speed in general, but usually only slow down to the posted speed limit if I see people actually working or the road surface is pot hole ridden or gravelly.
Road works speed limits and not just in place to protect the road workers but more importantly the road users. Most large road works project will have a temporary road design and this design takes into account factors such as sight distance, swept path, distance from barriers, length of turn lanes, curvature of road, volume of traffic, distance from excavations, potholes, loose surfaces etc. The road works speed limits are based off these factors and are mostly in place to protect the road users. This is coming from someone that builds highways
Same!
Its not so bad here TBH, I see many people slowing down. Its a lot worse in NZ, on a 100km/h motorway with a 40kph roadworks sign everyone still is doing 80+ if not 100.
I always slow down to the speed limit. About 5 years ago I was driving home to Sydney from Orange on a Sunday. There was no-one working in the area marked as road works and very little traffic. I can't remember my speed at the time but I did get a speeding fine in the mail for less then 10kmh over the limit. Must have been caught by a speed camera. I thought it was unfair and wrote a letter but was unsuccessful in getting it overturned.
Yes I do. What really piss me off are the a$$hats that flash their lights behind me to go faster than the marked speeds.
Well, yes, especially if they're working…
Because I'm not a goatse gaping dickhole.
Coming from a traffic controller - PLEASE do the limit posted!!! For many many reasons…
But first, remember that the signs don't put themselves out. If the signs are up, we are still possibly setting up the site ready to start work, still putting out a complete set of signs and vice versa with the pack down. We can't be in two places at once.
As for slowing down - if there's a hole, rock, bobcat, truck whatever on the road ahead, we are MUCH less likely to try stopping you/be able to stop you if you are blasting through too fast. We wanna go home alive.
And PLEASE leave a reasonable gap between the vehicle in front. If it's a truck, it's possibly one of ours and we need to stop you so you don't follow it into site (it will go into the workzone, which is not somewhere you want or need to be). Allowing a reasonable gap between vehicles helps us stop you if necessary. Things can go wrong/situations can change.
Side note: an experienced traffic controller will stop you if they see you approaching too fast. For the safety of the workers on site and also for yours. Don't bother speeding up because we will usually let you through if we see you on approach, unless there is traffic waiting at the other end.
Personally, I don't want to stop anyone. Every attempt to stop a vehicle is a possibility I will get hit. If I stop you, it's because I have to. Think of it that way….
And much appreciation to the "pace cars" that actually do the 40km and "help" the others to do it also. It makes for a much safer work site.
50km = 50% fatality rate. At 60km - 85% fatality rate. Even got at 40km there's a 25% chance of dying (1 in 4).
No way this poll is reflective of actual behaviour.
The majority of people don't slow down to the posted speed limit. Maybe they slow down a little, but I call complete bullshit they'll go down to the 40 or so that's usually posted.
Yeah but it's the law - must obey authority.
The trucks don't obey it because they see it every day they radio ahead to check if there are workers on site.
The signs on the Pacific Highway Nth Coast NSW are left up on the off chance someone is working over the weekend, overnight or public holidays - tens of kilometres of 40kph and no-one working.
And for all the fearful dummkopf on here who only seek to obey orders and wait further instructions
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xOYLCy5PVgM
i just follow the car in front
I do follow the limit on regular roads, but it gets really tricky on highways. Because vast majority of drivers ignore them, and I feel it's dangerous for me to drive at 60, while everyone's doing 80, 90, 100. So I usually just go around 70-75 ish. It's really difficult to do 60, when everyone's zooming past.
I do feel like, they should randomly have a mobile speed camera at these work sites, so people actually take the speed limit seriously.
often when they are doing roadworks there is narrowing of the road, concrete barriers, etc that reduce the road space available. There, also, might be loose gravel, etc.
My favourite road sign is "no lines, please only overtake when safe to do so" - as opposed to?